Chances, Chances
by Limitless Musings
Summary: Sometimes one good impression is all you really need.
1. Stroke of Luck

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Summary:_ Sometimes one good impression is all you really need.

 _Pairing: Iwaizumi/Kagome_

 _Suggested Listening:_ Beautiful Now by Zedd (Feat. Jon Bellion)

 _ **Chances, Chances**_

 **Chapter One** : Stroke of Luck

Iwaizumi growled beneath his breath. He _swore_ that as soon as he found Oikawa that he'd beat him senseless. This was the _third_ time today he'd disappeared from the team. Probably to flirt with a few of the other school's girls but he'd long since lost his patience to care. His friend was losing sight of what was important. If they were going to eventually win against Shiratorizawa, then they'd have to be prepared for _anything_. Fucking off in the hallway wasn't going to do them any favors. A weight suddenly collided into his shoulder. His irritation spilled over into a dark expression. He was _not_ in the mood to be dealing with shit like this.

"Oh sorry, I wasn't paying attention." A girl around his age apologized. She barely came to his shoulders, standing nose to chest with him. He relaxed his stance somewhat. No matter how frustrated he was he wouldn't take it out on an innocent girl. He'd just save his anger for Oikawa later.

"It's not a problem," Iwaizumi shrugged. His eyes slid to her uniform. She was in the signature reds of Nekoma. He quirked a brow in curiosity. What was she doing here? This was an entirely different prefecture.

"Oh, if you don't mind." Her hand caught his arm gently. "Do you think you could tell me where to find Karasuno's section? I got a bit lost and I have a friend waiting for me there." She followed it up with a bright grin. He felt his face heat. Most girls were terrified of approaching him. Apparently he gave off 'dangerous' vibes that warded a good many away. It wasn't that he hadn't dated before but there was always an edge of shyness. This girl didn't seem the least bit put off.

Iwaizumi pointed behind him, "Their stands are back that way. I'd walk you there but I have to grab our setter."

She laughed, "Oh I think I know who you mean. That guy surrounded by all the fan girls, right?" She gestured towards the hall a short distance away. "I just came from there. He was pretty caught up by their attention." Then she blinked, "Oh that's right you're from Aoba Johsai, correct?"

He nodded once.

"That's great! I'll get to see you guys play next. Sorry I can't cheer for you but good luck!" She grinned again.

The young man slipped his hands into his pockets. His stance relaxed as his expression lightened a bit, "Don't worry. We'll still take that victory. I'm Iwaizumi Hajime, Seijoh's Ace."

"Higurashi Kagome. Currently I'm Nekoma's manager but my friend is training to be the manager of Karasuno." There was that smile again. It suited her pretty well. "I came here for moral support." Her eyes dropped to her watch. "Oh crap, I'm late! Nice to meet you Iwa-kun!" He quirked his brow at the sudden nickname. "Good luck!" With that she took off in a flurry of black and red. Nekoma's manager, huh? That was news to him.

His back stiffened as the last part of her words hit him. They were going up against Karasuno next! He had to hurry! With that he took off after his obnoxious friend.

* * *

The defeat came as a surprise. It'd been his screw up. He failed to make the point as Seijoh's Ace, now they were shut out of the competition. He sucked a breath between his lips. He wouldn't lose it. Not here, not now. The Ace fell in line with his teammates. They turned to the crowd and offered their gratitude for support. When he rose from the customary bow, he found a familiar face staring back at him empathically. Kagome nodded once in understanding. He'd acted so confident earlier too. Now it'd just bit them in the ass. He looked away shamefully.

The team barely held their disappointment together. Had defeat always tasted this bitter? He couldn't remember the last time it'd stung this badly. Even the loss to Shiratorizawa hadn't hit them this hard. Partly because it'd been expected.

They carried themselves down the hallway and out towards their bus. Only silence awaited them. There were no cheers, no congratulations, nothing.

"Iwa-kun!"

Several eyes snapped to attention. Iwaizumi paused mid step. Iwa-kun? Wait, could it be that girl from earlier? As he turned around, he spotted her again. Her expression was set into one of fierce determination. He partly envied that ferocity she had.

"Next time!" The young woman pointed an index finger towards him. "Next time battle to the top!"

Iwaizumi rubbed the back of his neck. He threw a casual look over his shoulder at his teammates. It was a silent request that they go on without him and they fully understood. Even Oikawa chose to leave him be for the moment—a rare occurrence especially with a girl involved. He waited until the others were out of ear shot.

"Sorry," He couldn't force himself to smile politely. "But there won't be a next time for me." He looked towards the darkening sky above. "I'm a third year and this Spring Tournament was our last chance." He sighed heavily. "Got shut out by Shiratorizawa in the last one as well." His frustration climbed as he recounted his failures.

How was it they always _just barely_ missed each gap? His spikes always just a little too weak. Their serves just a little too off course. Their receives just a little under powered. What could they have done? His fists clenched tightly at his sides. There would be no more games. No more tournaments. This had been their last game.

A hand found itself over his heart. He blinked.

"It's not over." The young woman met his eyes. There wasn't a single flash of doubt. No instant of self consciousness for her proximity to a virtual stranger. "You still have college. Even if you're on a new team with new people, it's not over until you give up." A confident smile broke out across her lips. "For the record, I think you're the better Ace." Her hand dropped away slowly. His face heated inadvertently. Did she just compliment him?

"I'm glad I came Iwa-kun. Even if you guys didn't win I still got the chance to see your spikes in action." She suddenly held her fist up towards him. "Keep that spirit. It'll carry you through the next battle."

Iwaizumi couldn't help it. A small smile broke out over his face. He raised his hand, curled his fingers into a loose fist and gently pushed his knuckles against hers. Somehow, their defeat didn't taste quite as bitter. It still stung, but the ache had dulled somewhat.

"Right." He paused as a question ran through his mind. "I thought you were in the Karasuno section though? How'd you get to our section?"

Kagome, he vaguely remembered her name, grinned widely. "I snuck away at the end. I felt like giving you guys a bit of support in that final set." His face felt warmer. Had he really left that much of an impression?

"Thanks, sorry we didn't get that win." He dropped his hand back into his pocket. What was he supposed to say now? He barely met this girl. He didn't know the first thing about her other than the fact that she was Nekoma's manager. He scratched at the back of his neck awkwardly.

"See you at the next game." With that she turned on her heel. Just as fast as they'd met, she was gone.

Iwaizumi stood still for a moment. Next game, huh? He bit into his cheek. Too bad it wouldn't be on the court. He made his way back to the bus. Oikawa had left the seat beside him open. Through all the lowered heads and tears, their captain kept his composure. His friend dropped his voice so that the others wouldn't hear.

"So who was the girl?" He should've figured. Even the loss wouldn't have deterred him from needling for interesting information.

"Just an acquaintance." Iwaizumi responded easily. It wasn't a lie but it wasn't entirely truthful either.

The setter cast a knowing look at him, "An acquaintance that _still_ has you blushing?" Shit, was he really? He casually looked away in a mild attempt to hide it. "So," Oikawa pressed further. "Did you at least get her number?"

He swallowed thickly, "Shit."

His friend threw an unimpressed glare his way, "You really suck with girls."

"Shut it, Asskawa."

"So crude! I _was_ going to give you a helpful tip on how to contact her again." Oikawa gave an exaggerated shrug of his shoulders. "But I guess you don't want to know."

Iwaizumi threw a sharp glare at him, "Spill. _Now_." His tone left little room for the setter to argue.

The other teen smirked, "You'll love it."

* * *

Iwaizumi tugged on his cap, ensuring to completely cover his face.

"I feel like a stalker." The spiker commented. He didn't like this. Surely there had to be some _other_ way to talk to her.

Oikawa turned his nose up petulantly, "Oh please. It's the best chance you've got." His friend pointed towards him exaggeratedly. "Besides it's not like you can just waltz up to Nekoma and ask around for her. You'd be kicked out for trespassing before you'd even get through the gates!"

The spiker flushed in embarrassment. He _might_ have tried that once and got turned away before he could step foot on school grounds. He hadn't obtained a pass and therefore could not legally enter the school. As much as he hated to admit it, Oikawa was right.

Sure he probably _could_ have gone to Karasuno to track down the friend she agreed to meet, but that'd likely lead to more unwelcome interference. He pulled at his hat a bit more. This seriously felt like stalking.

"I _still_ don't like it. How am I supposed to tell her _why_ I'm here without it being weird?" He shot his friend a withering glare. "You didn't think about _that_ , did you?" Just about _any_ girl would feel creeped out by some random guy following her around. He seriously needed a new strategy. Or a new childhood friend. Whichever was easier, he wasn't picky at this point.

"Oh ye with little faith!" Oikawa grinned, "Just believe in your friend and all will be well!"

A sinking feeling began to develop in his stomach. He didn't like this. _Not one bit_.

They wandered through the corridors of the stadium. It eclipsed the one they'd played Karasuno in. The structure was massive, geared towards the larger crowds that dwelled in Tokyo. His hands fisted in his pockets. He bit into the inside of his cheek. How was he even supposed to _talk_ to her like this? She'll be busy with Nekoma's game. Not to mention the fact that he couldn't go anywhere near the court. It wasn't like he could casually toss a ball to her feet during practice and use that as an approach. He still cringed when he recalled his teammates doing the same to Karasuno's little blonde manager. That had been a poor move.

"Get your head in gear Iwa-chan!" His friend suddenly cried out. "The game's about to start!" They made their way through the curved hallways. It'd been set up as a large dome complete with fully functional concession stands.

Iwaizumi followed after the enthusiastic setter. His eyes trained on the line of red jerseys on the court. They were fairly close. Just a few rows away from the center to be precise. From this distance he had a clear view of her. Proudly clad in Nekoma reds, she had her hands cupped to her mouth and yelling out words of support. His mind briefly travelled back to his last game. Had she done the same for him back then? There'd been so many voices in the background. He couldn't recall a single moment in which she might've cheered for him. His face heated again.

"Now you look creepy." Oikawa's finger came to rest on his cheek. "Was that a grin or are you plotting to murder someone?"

Iwaizumi didn't hold back. He casually slammed his closed fist down on the setter's head. His friend whined but he chose to ignore it, watching Kagome from across the court.

He felt like such a damn stalker. Following the Nekoma games had been the only way they could chance a second encounter. It'd been Oikawa's idea and so far they'd done it twice before in the last few days. His stomach twisted. He _really_ needed a new game plan that didn't involve his friend's crack pot schemes.

Iwaizumi rested his forearms over the railing. For now he'd just watch. At the end of the game he'd try to catch her again.

A small smile crossed the spiker's lips as she cheered at her team's point. There was simply something about that enthusiasm that was utterly contagious. Iwaizumi settled in, unaware of the group now observing him.

* * *

Lev took a quick drink from a proffered bottle of water. He used a towel from his neck to wipe the coat of sweat from his face. Now he might've imagined it but for the third time in their recent games, he'd caught sight of two unfamiliar faces in their stands watching their female manager closely.

He glanced up in the Nekoma section. A few spots away from the center were two people he couldn't recognize. They were dressed in plain clothes with sunglasses and caps; completely blocking their faces from view. His brows furrowed. Now he wasn't a complete idiot. He _knew_ when guys were staring at a girl. Kagome's energy always had a way of attracting some seedy characters. It wouldn't have been the first time they'd have to chase idiots away from her.

They'd just taken both sets and now he had the chance to observe them more closely. They didn't look to be students from their school. They definitely weren't much older than himself though. Could they possibly be from a rival school?

"Nice blocks, Lev!" Kagome approached him with another water in hand. "You're really shaping up!"

He nodded once then pointed towards the crowd, "Do you know those two?" The pair jumped slightly. Their manager hadn't the time to look before they'd rushed out towards the hallway. Now that wasn't suspicious at all.

"Who?" She looked back at him before shrugging off the question. The young woman didn't miss a beat. She went on from player to player, offering congratulations and support.

Kuro quirked a brow at the interaction. His eyes shifted from him, to Kagome before landing the now empty seats.

"Lev, how many times did you see them?" His tone was calm and even—a sure sign of trouble to come.

The taller boy met the captain's gaze, "Three. They usually get spots near the front. They also dress weirdly."

Kenma set his bottle down and joined in their conversation, "They have poor disguises. They're probably doing recon on her." As expected the setter was unperturbed by the new developments. "They usually walk away when we leave though. I don't think they want to approach when she's surrounded by us."

At that moment a collective light bulb went off over the other players heads. Their manager had moved on to discuss break down plans with their sponsor, completely missing the interaction.

Kuro's shoulders squared. His eyes narrowed as he tucked his hands into his pockets, "Yamamoto, you stick by her. Lev and Yaku, you guys are with me." Their wing spiker was quick to dive towards their friend. True to the captain's orders, he didn't part with her for an instant.

"So we get to do the thing?!" Lev grinned excitedly.

Kuro smirked in response, "That's right, kid. We get to do the thing." With that the trio stalked off the court in search of the suspicious stalkers.

* * *

"You _dumbass_!" Iwaizumi roughly shook Oikawa in frustration. "Because you ran we ended up looking like _creepers_!" He gave his shoulders another hard shake. The setter's head bobbed to and fro from the force. "Why did you _do_ that?!"

His friend gave a nervous laugh, "Do you have any _idea_ how crazy those kind of guys are over their girl managers? We couldn't get caught like that!"

Iwaizumi removed his glasses and cap. Screw it all! If he was going to go this far in trying to talk to her, then he was going to do it _his_ way! No more disguises. No more stalking. He'd just have to find her friend to ask for her number. Why'd he _ever_ let Oikawa talk him into this crazy idea he'd never know.

"Argh!" He could no longer make legible sentences.

"Use your words, Iwa-chan." The setter teased.

He made a grab at him but found a trio of shadows being cast from somewhere beyond his shoulder. Iwaizumi stiffened, pivoting on his heel to face the wall of players behind him. It was Nekoma. More specifically their Captain, Libero and tallest Middle Blocker. His body grew taut. He knew it. This had been a _horrible_ idea.

"So," Kuro drawled confidently, "Mind giving us your name? I don't think I've seen you around."

He didn't like the look of these odds. He knew that these guys had picked up on their not-so-subtle stalking and were just trying to keep their manager safe. Oikawa's idiotic antics had only raised their suspicions. Iwaizumi straightened his shoulders. There was only one way to sort this out. He opened his mouth.

"Who we are doesn't concern you." His friend oh-so-wisely piped up.

"Shut your mouth, you damn idiot!" Iwaizumi shot back. He fought the urge to kick him. The spiker turned his attention back to the males in front of him. "I'm Iwaizumi Hajime, third year wing spiker of Aoba Johsai. This idiot," He knocked his friend's hat from his head in one swift motion. "Is Oikawa Toru, third year setter from Aoba Johsai as well."

Kuro surveyed them cautiously. He crossed his arms over his chest, a smirk spreading across his lips.

"Oh? You're a long way from Miyagi." His tone lowered, "Mind explaining what you want from our manager?"

Iwaizumi wasn't surprised by the sudden confrontation. It'd been expected given Oikawa's split second decision to run. He cleared his throat. Now this would be a tough one to tackle. He wracked his brain for a second, attempting to come up with a good explanation.

"We met at our last game," He settled on the truth. "She said something to me and I just wanted to thank her." He met the captain's gaze. "This dumbass here was the one to come up with the idiotic idea to look for her here." Admittedly, he was throwing Oikawa under the bus. Still he pressed forward, "Would that be possible?" It'd be better to tread lightly where other players were concerned. Just as he'd stated before, these recent teams were absolutely _crazy_ over their female managers. It likely wouldn't be any different for the guys on Nekoma.

"You're so cruel, Iwa-chan! I help you and _this_ is how you show me thanks?!" Oikawa turned his back to them petulantly. "See if I help you out again!" His antics were thoroughly ignored by the others.

Kuro scratched at his chin as if in thought.

"Didn't she go to Karasuno's game a week ago?" Yaku questioned out loud. "I think she wanted to visit with Yachi."

Lev began to grin, "So you go to hear one of our manager's famous speeches, huh? It's no wonder you've been following after her like a lost puppy."

Iwaizumi scratched at the back of his neck. What was he supposed to do? Deny it? These guys had read him like an open book. Which begged the question, was this a common occurrence for her? Somehow the idea that she'd give some other player similar advice left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Access denied." Kuro smirked confidently. "It's convenient that you 'met' her at the Karasuno game. But how do we know you're even telling the truth?" The taller male circled him predatorily. "You could've just thought she was cute from the crowd, recognized her uniform and decided to chase after her here. It wouldn't be the first time."

Somehow that idea settled with him _worse_ than the first one. Just how common _was_ something like this?

"How rude!" Oikawa suddenly jumped in. Iwaizumi tried to shoot him a warning glare to be silent to no avail. His friend's mouth kept shooting off. "Iwa-chan only has the purest intentions! He'd never stoop so low!"

"Shut it, Asskawa. You're making things worse." He kept his hands in his pockets. He wasn't about to start a fight in a different prefecture. As annoying as this whole situation was, he couldn't blame Nekoma for their harsh antics. They were just doing their job in keeping her safe.

"What are you idiots doing? Come on we have to get going!" The group paused as Kagome's voice suddenly carried over them. Yamamoto was eagerly attempting to draw her away from the confrontation without any luck.

Iwaizumi froze the second her eyes landed on him. How would she react?

"Iwa-kun!" A grin broke out across her expression. The trio paused mid interrogation. "I'm surprised you made it out here okay!" She pushed past her teammates casually. "You didn't have too much trouble, did you?"

His stances relaxed, "Not really. We've been keeping track of the games recently." She came to a stop in front of him. Was it just his imagination or did her smile get a bit brighter? A small one tugged at his lips.

"You know this guy?" Yaku pointed towards him dubiously. Their Libero might've been short but he had quite the temper. Out of all of them, he'd likely be the first to engage in a fight if it meant protecting someone.

Kagome nodded, "Yeah, I invited him. Oh here, I forgot to give this to you last time." She slipped something into his palm quickly. He curled his fingers around it before the others could see. It was some sort of paper. His face suddenly flushed, could it be her number?

"Sorry I can't stick around though. Still, it's good to see you Iwa-kun!" She turned her attention back to her teammates. "Alright you trouble makers. Let's go home!"

Iwaizumi and Oikawa watched as the group slowly walked away from them. Kuro threw on last glance over his shoulder at them. They were going to be difficult to get past. He uncurled his fingers to look at the note more closely. As expected, it was her number. Which begged the question. Should he call her tonight?

His friend peered over his shoulder, "Congrats, you're finally become a man." That time Iwaizumi did kick him.


	2. Audience

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Youth by Foxes

 _ **Chances, Chances**_

 **Chapter Two** : Audience

Kuro grinned widely at the girl beside him. Well who would've guessed? Their little manager _actually_ found a guy she was interested in!

"I'm a little jealous." He teased her lightly. "Why'd you wait three months to give me your number but he got it instantly? I claim favoritism!"

Kagome roughly jammed her index finger into his ribs, "That's because you were relentless. Besides, he went through the trouble to come here." The rest of the team paused mid step. They circled around her curiously as her words fully sunk in.

"Oh? So you _weren't_ expecting him?" Lev questioned easily enough. For as odd as he could be, he was pretty observant. Her face suddenly turned an interesting shade of red.

"Well, sort of? I _did_ invite him." She didn't meet their eyes. A sure sign that she'd likely only put out a vague suggestion and the guy ran with it.

Kuro scratched at his chin, "Has anyone ever told you that you have bad taste in men?"

She took a swipe at him, "Shut your mouth! Like _you're_ one to talk!" The young woman's voice grew a few octaves higher. He tucked away from her, laughing as he duck and dove to escape her wrath.

"What, I can't be concerned? This one _did_ stalk you!" He dodge another swipe at his hair. "Come on now, kitten! That's bad news!"

"Don't call me that!" Kagome flushed brightly as she pointed an index finger at him. "You're an old geezer with no sense of style _or_ taste in women! All of your girlfriends went full yandere!" She waved her arms emphatically. "Yandere! Not tsundere, yandere!"

Kenma glanced up from his game, "She has a point. Your last ex tried to hide in your closet."

"Hey this isn't about me!" Kuro shot back with a bright flush as they started to climb onto their bus. "This is a real problem! What if he's one of those creepy types that'll start following her around with a camera?!"

"The fact that you even thought of that makes me concerned." Kenma offered up. Kagome took a seat next to the reclusive boy and began to fidget with her phone. It was a clear sign that she had no intention of being pestered for the duration of their trip back to the school.

"I agree. So I will do you a favor and pretend you never suggested that." The young woman pushed her headphones in. "Now get some rest, you idiots! Otherwise you'll sleep through your classes tomorrow!"

Of course that hadn't happened. The rest of the hour long trip back had been spent with pointed questions, teasing jokes and the running gag that her taste in men were just as bad as Kuro's taste in women. Ultimately, no one got any rest.

Kuro rolled his shoulders as they exited the bus. A wide grin stretched across his lips.

"Careful now, otherwise you might run out of battery before he calls." He leaned over her shoulder to get a quick peek. "Yeah, thirty percent isn't looking good. Need me to walk you home, kitten?"

Kagome sighed, "As much as I don't _want_ you to interrogate me any more, that's probably a good idea." She cupped her hand over her eyes and looked towards the sky. "It'll be dark before I can even make it to the station."

She jumped slightly as her phone began to vibrate. All eyes were on her suddenly.

"Ooh, you think it's him?" Kuro leaned over her shoulder again, attempting to peek for the second time in a five minute span. She quickly turned, sliding her finger across the screen and answering.

"Higurashi speaking," She turned away from him, pressing one had to her other ear to block out the chorus of excited chattering. "Iwa-kun! Yeah, I've got a minute." Instantly she regretted those words.

* * *

Iwaizumi threw his coat upon his desk's chair. Well Oikawa's idea partially worked. He had gotten Kagome's phone number but only because she'd run into them in a stroke of luck. He couldn't fight the small smile even if he'd wanted to. He could call her now, but should he? Wait, what time would she even be home?

His eyes shifted towards the clock. It'd only just hit 19:00, which meant that their meeting should be wrapping up right about now. He thought about his next move. He could just text her to find out. In fact he'd already withdrew his phone and began putting in her number to start a message.

Then another thought hit him. Would a text be enough? It might give a bad impression if he didn't call first. He glanced between the time and unfinished message. What should he do? It'd be a _very_ cold day in hell before he ever went to Oikawa for help regarding issues like this. That guy was just as clueless as him when it came to dating. Fan girls were one thing but he lacked the capacity to communicate effectively. The only thing he was _really_ good at was volleyball and pestering people.

In fact, Oikawa couldn't keep himself from annoying him the whole train ride back to Miyagi. Namely by repeatedly asking questions that revolved around _how_ he could have such a cute girl interested in him right off the bat. Of course that inquiry had been met with a fierce rebuttal in the form of his foot.

Iwaizumi pulled up her contact. He should probably call her instead. Worse case scenario she'd be on her way home and just ask him to call back a little while later. Sucking a breath between his lips he dialed out. Much to his surprise she answered almost immediately. Had she been waiting for his call? Now he was even more glad that he did.

"Hey it's me. I didn't know if you were free yet or not." The spiker started off a bit awkwardly. Kagome hadn't paid it any mind. She plowed forward and greeted him warmly on the other side of the line. He felt a small smile pulling at the edge of his lips.

"Ah, that's good. Anyways I wanted to ask if you were going to be free later this weekend." He glanced towards his calendar. "I know practice runs through pretty late in the week. So how does lunch on Sunday sound?" His nerves were a wreck. He had only intended on talking to her a bit more, but he'd ended up asking her out instead. The young man waited with bated breath for the response.

"That's… hey! Give that back, Kuro!" He heard her suddenly shout through the phone. Kuro? Was she still with the team? He supposed that it was good that she wasn't alone if she were to be on her way home.

"Hey kid," He recognized the voice of Nekoma's Captain. Great, just what he needed. "That's a pretty bold move. Don't you think you should go a bit slower than that?"

Iwaizumi wouldn't lie to himself. He was _irritated_. Earlier he'd been willing to compromise with them. After all, Oikawa's little scheme had only made him appear suspicious. Still, it probably wouldn't be a good idea to pick a fight with the guys she was closest with. So the spiker chose another option.

"Going out to lunch is a fast move?" He gave a small laugh, "Alright I'll play along here. What is it that you want from me?"

A deep, somewhat devious chuckle came through the line.

"You really want that answer? I could list all sorts of impossible tasks."

Suddenly Kagome's voice came through again, "Damn it, you old geezer! Knock it off before I kick the crap out of you!"

Now why did that line sound so familiar? He couldn't fight the small laugh as he tried to imagine her trying to intimidate Nekoma's Captain into returning her phone.

"You know, it's not very polite to take a woman's phone from her," Iwaizumi went for the shaming tactic. It was about as likely to work as a snowball's chance in hell but he couldn't miss this opportunity.

"Oh?" Kuro drawled as Kagome continued to growl on the other end. "Then can I point out that it's not polite to stalk a woman either. So fair's fair, right?"

He had nothing to that. Kagome may have defended him against her teammates but that didn't change the fact that he _did_ stalk her somewhat. He felt his face heat in embarrassment. Why, oh _why_ did he ever let Oikawa talk him into that crazy idea?

"Ow! Watch it! Hey, what are you doing?!" Kuro suddenly cried out. "That's my rib cage. Owww!"

Then he heard her voice again, "Sorry about that Iwa-kun, I haven't left the school yet but I'll be home in around twenty minutes. Is it alright if I call you then?"

His face became warmer, "Sure. That's not a problem." He laughed a little louder as the chaos of masculine goads and cheers erupted behind her. "Sounds like I called at a bad time anyways."

"Don't worry about them. They're just trouble makers." He vaguely heard a chorus of boos at her response. "But as for your question, yes, lunch does sound amazing." That time there were a few cheers and someone crying in the background. What kind of crazy idiots were even apart of Nekoma's Volleyball team?

"Sounds like you have your hands full. How about we figure out the rest after you get home?" Iwaizumi could tell that having to navigate around her team was going to be a chore but he couldn't bring himself to dread it. In fact, his smile grew a bit wider, seeing how much they cared only proved to him that she was a good person. The insane culture that surrounded their female managers aside, it appeared as if Kagome had built up a strong bond of trust with the other players. His mind summoned the memory of the words she'd spoken to him after Seijoh's loss. He could only imagine the kind of morale boost her very presence provided Nekoma.

"Yeah, I'll call you soon." Her voice was light with a tiny laugh. "Don't miss me too much in the mean time." Iwaizumi let out a long, deep laugh in response. What a surprise. She'd just teased him. Now that was something he could get used to. Only Oikawa ever had the guts to poke fun at him but that usually ended in threats of bodily harm or a swift kick to the back. Hearing a girl do it seemed to have an opposite effect. It was somewhat endearing to have those very words spoken by her.

"I think I'll live." His laughter died away somewhat but his smile remained. "Just let me know the details when you get home. We'll figure the rest out along the way." She agreed before saying a final goodbye.

The spiker waited until the line went dead before he hung up.

 _He got a date._

Despite the interference, that call had gone better than any he'd had before. His smile grew impossibly wide. He couldn't wait until Sunday.

* * *

Iwaizumi shifted on his feet uncomfortably. It was close to ten minutes before their agreed upon meeting time. He waited at the station's entrance. They'd decided to go to a small diner not too far from Aoba Johsai. Kagome had concluded that if she stuck too close to her district then they'd likely be tailed by other members of Nekoma. She'd claimed that they were all very sincere people but they could also be incredibly _nosy_ when it came to her dating life.

So he made the offer of meeting up with her at the station and then walking down to the diner together. It was a simple plan but it was enough to shake the possible tails they would've had.

His back went straight as he spied the crown of her head over the throng of people.

"Kagome!" Iwaizumi called out to her, raising his arm in the air and pushing off from the column he'd been leaning against. The young woman flirted to his side quickly. In that moment he took a second to appreciate the different look on her.

He'd only seen her clad in her uniform and Volleyball jacket. _This_ was something else entirely. She wore a soft blue tank that looked to be made of something soft, paired with a white-colored skirt that cut off around mid thigh in the front and trailed behind her elegantly in the back. What was most interesting was the fact that she opted out of heels for a pair of high-top sneakers that matched her shirt. It was a cute look. Plus he found that the blue complimented her features more than the reds that he was used to seeing on her.

"You ready?" Iwaizumi smiled down at his date. He held out his hand for her. She slipped her fingers between his without missing a beat.

"Only when you are." The young woman smiled back at him. They'd spent the better portion of their weeknights on the phone with each other. After practice, in between matches and once she even called on her lunch break during school. Their conversations had been _fun_ leading up to today. He wanted that to carry over in person as well.

"Did you make it here alright? No stalkers?" He decided to drop in a subtle joke. It'd been a running gag between them since he got busted by her teammates following her around at their games. He hadn't let Oikawa hear the end of it for his stupidity in the execution of that idea either.

She gave a small laugh, "No stalkers this time, but they might've run away when they saw you." He'd learned early on that she could get quite flirtatious with him when she wanted to be. It was the confidence boost he didn't know he needed.

The spiker led her down the familiar path to their destination, "Then I guess I'll just have to keep an eye out." They fell into their usual groove of flirting. Realistically, she was just _very_ talented at making him feel good about himself. Being the self-appointed wrangler of Aoba Johsai's Volleyball Team caused him to have a type of rough-and-tumble attitude. It didn't normally do him any favors in his love life but it appeared as if he'd finally found someone that wasn't scared of him.

Iwaizumi held the door open as they entered the local spot. It was moderately busy and had a comfortable atmosphere with its row of windows lining every exterior facing wall. It provided the most light into the shop, giving the welcoming feeling of a small town restaurant. The prices were low too, so he'd made it a preferred hang out spot for when he needed to get away from the idiots he called his friends.

"Thank you," Kagome smiled up at him. He returned it with a warm one of his own. The hostess was quick to seat them in a booth just a little further away from the main flow of traffic. They settled into the seats across from one another. He glanced between the menu and her beaming expression. How long had it been since he'd last gone on a date? Five months? Maybe more? He couldn't quite remember.

"So," He broke the silence between them, "What made you become Nekoma's Manager? It's probably pretty crazy getting a group like that to behave."

"Actually that's a bit of a funny story." Kagome grinned brightly. He liked that look on her. They video chatted together a few times as well and those were always the most fun. "It started back in my first year. I got put in the same class as Kuro." They placed their orders as the waitress came around. "That guy was _relentless_." She laughed a bit at the memory. He didn't feel threatened by this revelation though. It was clear that whatever relationship she'd had with the guy was now clearly just friendship. He had no reason to feel jealous yet.

Kagome continued with her explanation, "He was a bit of a brat but he kept asking and asking until finally I just agreed to check it out." The young woman scratched at her cheek sheepishly. "To be honest I got hooked after the first time watching them. Before all of this I sort of saw Volleyball as just one of those sports that people did as a past time and not much else." He listened as her face flushed with embarrassment. He offered up his hand from across the table. She threaded her fingers through his, another cute smile spreading across her face.

"After that first day I was hooked." Something shifted in her expression. The same light of excitement he'd seen in seasoned players reflected in her eyes. Iwaizumi leaned on the back of his free hand as he watched her regale him with tales of Nekoma's previous games. She was pretty enthusiastic about Volleyball. That was a rare trait in the girls he'd come across. Most ultimately felt jealous of the time he spent practicing rather than encouraging him. His smile became a touch softer. He liked this girl.

"I have to ask," Kagome paused mid way. She tilted her head to the side curiously with her inquiry. "What got you into Volleyball? You did pretty amazing during the Karasuno game."

He blinked, "Well I wouldn't call that amazing. I missed the last spike." Iwaizumi waited as the waitress returned with their food. Briefly, their interlocked fingers were forced to let go in order to eat. They said their thanks before returning to their conversation. "I've been playing since elementary though. An idiot friend of mine was the one to convince me in the first place. He's pretty clingy and was whining that he couldn't be the best setter if he didn't have the best spiker beside him. So I've been on the wing spiker position for as long as I can remember." He couldn't help the small laugh at the memory.

Oikawa had _always_ been a clingy idiot. When they'd been kids, he even refused to go to the bathroom on his own. Of course that led to many frustrating arguments of the impossibility of holding someone's hand through the bathroom stall. He pinched the bridge of his nose. He sometimes wondered how his friend was _ever_ going to survive on his own.

"Sounds almost as if you're brothers." He looked up to find Kagome's bright grin. "You speak fondly with a twinge of annoyance. That's a sure sign that he's a brother to you. I do the same when I talk about my little brother, Souta."

Iwaizumi laughed, "You're probably right about that. The guy is annoying but he's at least dependable." It was funny. Most of the girls he'd dated either grew jealous of the bond he'd had with Oikawa or subtly tried to use him to get closer to his friend. There hadn't seemed to be a happy middle before, where he could simply find a girl that was interested in him _and_ accept his somewhat unique relationship to Oikawa. He wanted to see where things would go.

The rest of lunch went off without too many issues. It was only when they'd decided to go through the local park that everything skidded to a halt.

The spiker kept a slow pace. The first onset of fall was beginning to take root in the tree leaves. There were hints of orange and red among the lush green canopy. Their small town didn't draw in too many tourists thankfully. So the park was only teaming with the usual neighbors. Several people waved amicably at him as both he and his date returned the favor.

His gaze fell to the young woman beside him. Kagome's hand felt much smaller within his own. He kept his grip gentle as a precaution. He was so used to dealing with his teammates' outrageous behavior. Especially with Kyoutani thrown into their midsts, he knew he couldn't let up on his training. Being like this was something new for him. It was enjoyable.

"Oh check that out!" The little manager kept her voice low, pointing towards something in the brush. "It's a rabbit! We don't get to see too many by the shrine."

He followed the line of her index finger to a pair of perked, furry ears. He immediately recognized the creature, "They're pretty common around here. I think that one is pretty used to people feeding it, so it pops up when someone's around." He reached into his sleeve to withdraw some cut up fruits he always kept on hand. He preferred to keep them on him in case he needed some fuel after practice. Now it was just simply habit. "Feel like feeding it?"

Azure eyes brightened with excitement, "Would I ever!"

Their approach was slow. Kagome remained focus on the tiny creature, crouching onto her knees to offer up one of the pre-cut apple slices to it. A normal rabbit would've already fled. However this one was so used to attention that it readily approached. With quick movements it snatched the apple from her and started to devour it.

"It's so cute!" The young woman gushed happily. "We only have a cat at home and he pretty much sleeps all day."

"Did you want to do this again, next time?" He liked the small flush of excitement that crossed her cheeks. If visiting this little rabbit could keep it there, then he'd do it every day.

"Would I ever!" Kagome paused as she glanced up at the sky. The monochromatic mural of dusk set upon them. "Oh, I should probably head back soon so it doesn't get too late."

Iwaizumi held out his hand once more. She slipped her palm into his and with a small amount of force he pulled her to her feet. She stumbled forward a step, placing her palm against his chest. Shit, had he pulled to hard? He'd been about to apologize and offer to walk her back when something caught his eye.

 _She was staring_.

Well not at his eyes specifically but something a bit lower. Suddenly his face flushed as realization dawned. Was now a good time? It was only their first date. Her hand instinctively lowered down towards his abdomen as her eyes closed. He cast all other thoughts from his mind. Who cared if it was early? She wasn't shying away and that was all that mattered. He closed his eyes and began to lean in.

"Oh shit!"

Both of their heads swiveled towards a thicket of brush behind them.

Iwaizumi's brow twitched in irritation, "I'm giving you dumbass three seconds to come out before I go charging in there." He didn't have to add anything else to his threat. "Three…" The young man began to count. Just like that a stream of familiar faces poured out from behind the trees almost comically.

How had he missed that?!

Spotting the most likely culprit, he lowered his voice and met the other male's gaze darkly.

"Explain. _Now_."

He'd been angry before. He'd even been furious, but right now his temper surpassed all of that.

 _He was absolutely seething_.

"Well you see, you'd been acting a bit weird around lunch time. Always had your head buried in your phone with this creepy little grin on your face." Oikawa started off his 'explanation' poorly. He was fortunate that Kagome was still standing in front of him. Otherwise he would've already kicked his ass.

"So one day you left your phone on your desk and I saw your plans for today." His fried offered up a playful grin. "Your dating experience is next to none so we figured that we could tag along to help!"

"Go home!" Iwaizumi snapped. Had he really be that obvious? Seeing the grind and dollars being passed around by the other members of Seijoh's Volleyball Team, he could only assume so.

"But why? Things just got interesting!" Oikawa set his eyes on Kagome. The spiker stiffened. Instinctually, his arm wound it around her waist and pulled her close. He knew that look. It was the one he got right before he tried to flirt. Was that idiot _really_ going to pull a stunt here? Like _this_?!

"My name's Oikawa Toru, if this idiot gets boring feel free to talk to me as well." His friend's smile became impossibly wide. "I'm always available for a lady."

Kagome turned back to him, "I can see why you're so tough. You've been having to deal with those kind of antics for a while. I'm impressed." In one fell swoop she pointed brushed off Oikawa's remark and offered him a compliment. His stance relaxed somewhat but he didn't take his eyes off of the other team members. Even in the corner he spotted Kyoutani nodding at him in approval.

"This isn't a peep show, now get lost!" He raised his voice.

"No way! How could we ever do that?" Oikawa kept pushing at his buttons. "Leave you _all alone_? We'd be terrible friends!"

That son of a bitch. He was getting in the way on purpose!

Iwaizumi attempted to step forward. However he found a soft palm upon his cheek, encouraging him to glance down at his date. A playful smirk pulled at her lips.

"Let them watch." With that she wrapped both of her arms around his neck and pulled him down. He didn't have to be told twice. In one swift motion he pressed his mouth against hers. His friends' jeers echoed somewhere in the background. He was faintly aware of a cellphone being pushed next to their faces. He raised his free hand and blocked them from its view. Or did he crush the device entirely? Oikawa's panicked cry seemed to suggest that it was destroyed now.

Iwaizumi ignored them. The only thing he could focus on was the warmth of her lips. Their next date, he'd make damn sure that no one followed him but for now he'd just enjoy the moment. With that, he pressed his mouth against hers a bit harder. To hell with the onlookers.


	3. Trouble

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Ready Set Let's Go by Sam Tinnesz

 _ **Chances, Chances**_

 **Chapter Three** : Trouble

"Seriously, out with it." Oikawa pointed a fry at him from across the table. "How'd a stick-in-the-mud type of guy like you get with a girl like _her_!" He held up his cracked phone to display the image of their kiss the other day.

Iwaizumi threw a blank look at his friend, "Because we clicked?" His expression darkened as the setter kept pushing the topic. "What more you want me to say that I haven't already?" Thus has been the course of his week since Kagome returned to Tokyo. The Volleyball Team had been _incessant_ on trying to pry information out of him. Rumors were even starting to spread through the school that she was somehow his childhood friend that he reunited with and finally started dating at their reunion. It was all false of course. Just rumors gone wild amongst teenagers. What was unusual was the amount of _interest_ it'd garnered.

"I fail to see how she'd be _that_ intrigued from a single game," He put his phone away to lean into his palm. "You sure you two didn't have a secret thing before all of this?"

"If you don't stop asking idiotic questions I'll have to kick the stupid out if you." Iwaizumi dropped his voice to a low growl. He cared for his friend but he could be a bit of a dimwit, _especially_ when women were involved. "Look I already told you everything. Unless of course you want a play by play of every little feeling." The spiker leaned on his forearm with a dark expression flitting across his face. "If so then I'll have to beat the living day lights out of you."

"Iwa-chan, you're so violent!" Oikawa complained in mock horror. "You're going to scare her off with that temper of yours."

Any other time he would've stiffened and quieted down at the subtle threat. This time he felt a confidence that he hadn't before in a relationship. He knew that she wasn't the type to be chased away that easily. Besides, it sounded as if she had a bit of a temper of her own when it came to dealing with the guys from Nekoma. A small smirk pulled at his lips.

"Whatever you say." The spiker easily ignored Oikawa as he tried to pry more information from him. Why was his love life so damn interesting to these people? They never bothered with him before so why _now_?

"Are you listening to me?" The setter leaned forward across the table.

"Not particularly." Iwaizumi shot back easily. He returned to his meal, fully intent on ignoring his friend for the time being.

The setter's face turned red with frustration, "You're a deviant, Iwa-chan!" Say what? That time he quirked his brow at the odd male. Where in the hell had that come from?

"Everybody has been talking, you know." The setter leaned into the palm of his hand. "They're going to be saying things like how you two had a one night stand and now she's pregnant or something."

Iwaizumi nearly spat out his drink, "Are you _insane_?! They'd only get those ideas if you _feed it to them_!" Had he broken a blood vessel? It certainly felt like it.

"Now, now Iwa-chan. You're going to give yourself high blood pressure." Oikawa took a sip from his drink casually. That calmness only served to piss him off more.

"It was you." He pointed towards his friend. It all made perfect sense now. All the rumors and outrageous talk came from Oikawa! That son of a bitch. "You started all of that shit, didn't you?"

The setter looked away nonchalantly, "I was only trying to help." His friend balanced a fry on his upper lip as he leaned back in his seat. "Besides you could use some good drama in your life. You're so _boring_!"

Iwaizumi reached across the table and roughly slammed his friend's head into what was left of his food. He held him there for a good three seconds before his phone started to vibrate. The young man released him. He knew _exactly_ who would be calling him at this time. The setter was lucky otherwise he'd have held him down for even longer.

"Hey," The spiker greeted his girlfriend over the phone. "You on lunch break, again?" He kept his head down so as to not be spotted by the occasional teacher that wandered their cafeteria.

"Yeah, I was able to sneak outside for a few minutes." Kagome's voice was soft, clearly trying not to be caught as well. He felt himself smile at the image that his mind brought forth. "Anyways the guys want to meet you officially." She laughed a little on the other end of the line. "They figured out that I went to see you last weekend."

He ignored Oikawa's pitiful whining in favor of focusing on his conversation, "That stands to reason. I did sort of ask you while you were with them." His smile grew wider, "You're pretty good at getting a rowdy group like that in line."

"Oh no!" His girlfriend laughed, "Not really. They're just a handful!" Somehow he had the feeling that she was just being modest. "Anyways, would you be able to come down here sometime this weekend? They'll probably try to creeper stalk you otherwise."

He thought back to the 'interrogation' her team members had tried to put him through. Somehow that group seemed crazy enough to do it. They knew which school he went to and also his position on the team. He wouldn't be that hard to track down.

Iwaizumi leaned his neck from side to side, cracking the joints along the way.

"Sure, you went through the trouble of coming up here." He pointedly slammed Oikawa's face onto the table when he pressed his ear too close to their conversation. "I'll see about going down to Nekoma this weekend." Above the muffled cries of his friend's screaming, the bell that signaled the end of their break went off. "Hey I've got to get back to class. I'll call you after practice."

"Okay, talk to you then Iwa-kun." Kagome practically beamed through the phone. The line cut and he removed his hand from the back of the setter's head.

"Come on dumbass, let's get back to class."

He didn't wait to see if Oikawa was still conscious. His mind wandered down a different trek entirely. Visiting her in Tokyo, huh? It wouldn't exactly be the same thing as a date with the guy from Nekoma being there, but it'd be close enough.

The spiker tucked his hands into his pockets. He strolled confidently down the hallway back to their home room. He needed a plan.

* * *

"So let me get this straight," Oikawa sported a dark bruise over his forehead. He spun the Volleyball between his palms and he prepared another set. "You two had an awesome date," There was a slight edge of disdain, perhaps from remembering about his broken phone. "Now her team wants to meet you."

His friend shot him a dubious glance, "You _do_ realize how crazy guys like that get over their girl managers, right?" His lips pressed into a thin line as he threw the first ball. Iwaizumi slammed his hand against it, sending it perfectly over the net like so many times before. "This won't be a meet and greet. It'll be a full scale grilling about your life choices up until now."

Oikawa sent another ball to him, "How do you plan on impressing them with _your_ attitude?"

He struck it over again, "Oh like how _you_ impressed them with those horrible disguises and stalking schemes?"

The setter pouted, "Well excuse me for trying to be helpful! We didn't have any other leads to go on and there was _no_ way you'd have been able to find her friend in time." They paused to glare at one another stubbornly. "Those guys are going to be a problem. You should take somebody with you."

Iwaizumi thought on the notion for a minute. It wasn't necessarily a _bad_ idea to bring some back up with him just in case. But would it really be worth it to have some other guy tag along on his date? He met Oikawa's gaze.

Nah, he'd take the risk without the support.

"I'll be fine. I'm not stalking her and I can take care of myself in a worse case scenario." He grabbed a fallen ball and pressed it between his shoulder and neck. "Besides _you_ are the one who really wants to go. Just admit it." Why was completely beyond him, but he figured that it'd had something to do with his recent break up.

Oikawa threw a petulant look his way, "Iwa-chan, you're scary."

He didn't pay it any mind, "Look it'll be fine. If you want to go to Tokyo on your own then no one is stopping you." The spiker set to work on clearing the court from the stray volleyballs. It close to time to leave. "If you're going to be ballsy enough to follow me, then just make sure not to start shit with Nekoma." The other players gave them a wide berth but he could still feel their eyes watching the conversation unfold keenly, "I don't have the patience to be cleaning up after you right now."

Oikawa paused, "You really are cruel, Iwa-chan! What makes you assume that I'm going to cause a problem!" His friend crouched down with a ball tucked between his knees. Great, he was back to this. "I'm _amazing_ at charming people! If anyone could make you look good, it'd be _me_!"

Iwaizumi sighed, "So that's what this is about. Seriously man, if you're going to pull idiotic stunts like last time then there's _no way_ you can help in this situation." His hand went to his pocket where his fingers brushed along the edge of his phone. "Besides, I _want_ to do this on my own." He raised his free hand over his shoulder. "I'll see you guys around." With that he left the Volleyball Club in his wake. He could feel their eyes piercing into his back and he knew that he'd have to keep a _very_ close watch this weekend.

Speaking of, he still had to figure out what day to go down. The young man withdrew his phone and started researching train tickets.

* * *

Kuro blinked once, then twice. They stood at the platform of the station her boyfriend would likely be arriving at. He had an _odd_ feeling about all of this.

"Seriously kitten, you sure about this guy?" He casually leaned his forearm on the top of her head, placing just a small amount of weight onto her.

"Yes, I'm sure." She playfully tried to push his arm off to no avail. "Do you _have_ to do that? You can be such a brat, Kuro!"

The captain dropped his other arm on top of her, "No can do. I've gotta make myself known." He felt her hands pushing at him a little harder but he had no inclination to move. This would be _entirely_ too fun to pass up.

"Yeah, like you idiots haven't already done that." She tipped her head up enough to glare at him through the small gap between his forearms. "Don't think I didn't know what you three were doing that day."

His grin stretched even wider, "What? You're Nekoma's tsundere. We've got to protect our feisty kitten from imminent peril."

" _Imminent peril_?" Her voice was dubious. "The only imminent peril there'll be is what you're in _right now_!" She tried to duck but he knew what was coming. The young man shifted his arms to hold her around her shoulders. He pulled the tiny girl to his chest and held her tightly. She thrashed from one side to the other, growling at him in frustration.

"You really are like a temperamental cat!" Kuro laughed as she twisted and turned in his arms. "Good thing I've got leverage on you."

Kagome suddenly managed to move her arms, "Take _this_!" A sharp pain shot through his side as her index finger and thumb pinched at a nerve below his rib cage.

"Shit!" He tried not to let go. His grip loosened just enough for her to get a better angle on him.

"And _this_!" She pinched a different nerve, cause him to tilt away from her. "And this and this!" Just like that he was forced to let go in favor of escaping the painful strikes against his side.

"Has anyone ever told you that you're a sadist?" He clutched at the space beneath his ribs. Great, now that was probably going to bruise.

"Just like how you're a masochist?" She shot back with ease. Kuro relaxed his shoulders.

"Guess that makes us a perfect pair." It was a joke and she knew it. He'd known her since they were put into the same class in their first year at Nekoma. At first he'd had a minor crush on her and pestered her relentlessly to become the Manager of their Volleyball club. However as time went on the more those feelings shifted into something more akin to familial affection rather than romantic interest. Perhaps it was the amount of time they'd spent together or the fact that none of his passes ever seemed to stick, but he'd taken his rejection gracefully and moved on with his life.

"Sorry, but she's already taken." A familiar voice announced confidently. Kuro glanced over his shoulder to find her current boyfriend staring at them oddly. Now this was going to be interesting. Despite the image they must've just given him, the guy hadn't seemed all that phased. Instead his eyes landed on Kagome's form with a bit of softness.

"You ready?" Iwaizumi opened his palm for her to take.

She stepped out from behind him to interlace their fingers, "Sure. Meet Kuro by the way." Kagome gestured towards him with an unimpressed look. He knew where _this_ was going. "He's the team idiot."

Yup. Just as he thought.

Kuro stepped forward, "Nice to officially meet you." He stretched out his hand diplomatically. The spiker reached across to take hold confidently. Their grip grew tight simultaneously. There was a not so subtle challenge being issued. The guy likely wasn't jealous but they both knew what the end game of this 'meeting' would be. A sly smirk spread across his lips. In that instant he knew.

 _This guy was trouble._


	4. Small Talk

Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

 _Suggested Listening:_ Crystals by Of Monster and Men

 _ **Chances, Chances**_

 **Chapter Four** : Small Talk

Iwaizumi knew he had a temper. It worked to his advantage in most cases. With Oikawa's childish antics _someone_ had to be able to hold the reigns and maintain control. His eyes darted towards the captain of Nekoma. In this situation, he realized that letting his temper get the best of him would be an unwise idea.

"I believe that we've met before." He kept his tone even. Kagome interlaced their fingers together loosely. A calming sensation spread through him at the simple touch. That alone was enough to keep his frustration from rising.

She'd warned him about this. In many of their conversations, she'd told him about Kuro and how their relationship was more akin to that of siblings. He could definitely see it in the way he'd teased her, however he still felt the slight twist in his stomach at the way the other male had held her somewhat intimately. Even if it had little meaning to them, it still bothered him a bit. He just wasn't going to let that show.

"Yeah, you were her stalker." There was a sly grin playing upon the other male's lips. He was attempting to goad him.

Iwaizumi smirked in return, "Sorry about that. My friend is a bit stupid sometimes and that was his bright idea." He wouldn't fall for it. He had enough confidence not to get flustered at this provocation. Kagome was with him, Oikawa was back in Miyagi and therefore he had nothing to fear. "Anyways we should probably get going. It's going to get busy soon with the lunch rush." The young man managed to redirect the conversation.

Kagome grinned brightly up at him, "That sounds great to me! The rest of the boys are going to meet up with us at the restaurant." She tugged him by his hand.

Iwaizumi followed after his girlfriend without hesitation. He didn't bother to look to see if Kuro was still behind them. He had more important things to focus on. Besides the guy was either going to like him or he wasn't. He just wasn't going to jump through ridiculous hoops to appease the other team's captain. His eyes settled on Kagome's hand. He just wanted this relationship to work without interference.

They made their way across the town without much incident. The young woman had led them exuberantly through the thick crowds that mottled the over sized streets. He'd be lying if he said that he wasn't subtly awed by the massive amount of people. Miyagi was a small, somewhat mountainous prefecture to the north side of Japan. It took almost two hours by bullet train just to make it to Tokyo. The distance between them was vast but, his grip tightened around her slender fingers, he was willing to try.

"Didn't miss me too much, did you?" Kagome teased, swinging their interlocked hands between them. He felt his smile soften.

"Did I?" He pulled her closer to his side. "You tell me." Okay, so maybe he was being a _bit_ obvious. Kuro trailed behind them. A small smirk pulled at the other male's lips. Just as expected, he wasn't perturbed by their antics. Which meant that he had little to feel jealous over.

"Not fair, Iwa-kun." Kagome stuck her tongue out at him. "I don't read minds."

"No? But I thought you could." He released her fingers in favor of wrapping his arm around the slope of her waist. It felt nice having her beside him like this. "You don't even want to guess?" He pressed his lips to her temple affectionately. They'd only been together for a few weeks. Officially this was perhaps their second date. Yet they'd already kissed once, quite vigorously he might add, and now she was letting him hold her so closely. Their relationship was moving faster than he'd anticipated.

"Hey love birds, we're here." Kuro jutted into the conversation. "Think you two can peel away from each other just long enough to grab a table? I've got to round up the troops." There was a joke hidden in that sentence somewhere.

Iwaizumi shrugged his shoulders, "We'll see about the peeling apart thing." His arm around her tightened its grip, "But we'll definitely grab that table." Kuro grinned at him before he took off, his cell phone in hand. With that they made their way inside the restaurant. It was busy as expected. People were packed into every corner possible and the loud chatter reverberated in his ears—making it hard for him to think clearly.

"We have fourteen with us." His girlfriend greeted the hostess politely. "Is it alright if we take the patio?" For just a second he thought he saw a flicker of relief over the other girl's face. Given how insane this rush was, he'd assumed that it'd take a good thirty minutes at least for another table inside to become available. Going outside not only made getting seated faster, but there'd be less of a wait time.

"Of course, right this way." She grabbed the necessary menus and tableware, leading them through the thick crowds to the outdoor patio. Iwaizumi pulled a chair out and paused until Kagome took the seat. Once she was settled he grabbed the spot beside her. It didn't take long for the rest of Nekoma's team to show up. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. It was less about possessiveness for him and more because of the fact he simply _wanted_ it there.

"Hey, what's this?!" A rough voice called out. A male with dyed blond hair and a scowl scrawled across his face marched towards them furiously. "What's _that_ doing there?" He gestured towards his arm around Kagome's shoulders. "Move it before I do it for you!"

Now Iwaizumi wasn't a patient man. He never had been, never would be either. More than that though was his own sense of pride. He didn't give a damn who it was. He wasn't about to let someone shame him for his relationship with his girlfriend. They were being obscene. So he wasn't about to back down. His eyes narrowed at her teammate. He couldn't pick a fight, but he wouldn't let this behavior stand.

"Is that _really_ the kind of impression you want to give?" He kept his tone low. "I came here today because I wanted to start this off right." Iwaizumi leaned forward. A confident smirk played across his lips, "But if you don't want to make this easy then I don't mind. We can always sort this out _later_." The young man fully understood what he meant by 'later'. He wouldn't fight in front of his girlfriend. But if the guy kept pushing then he'd be more than willing to wait until after this little get together to sort out those differences the best way he knew how.

The teen's expression grew darker, "You son of a…"

"Yamamoto, please stop picking a fight." Kagome interjected. "Iwa-kun just came here to meet you all. He was polite enough to agree to come all the way down here for that." Her tone took on a disappointed note. "Please don't get worked up and cause a scene this time. He's trying to meet you guys halfway."

Yamamoto flushed with embarrassment. He scratched at the back of his head as he took his seat, "Okay. Since _you're_ asking I can't say no." The ace of Nekoma shot him one last glare. It was a warning but Iwaizumi didn't feel threatened. It'd take a lot more than that to chase him off.

More of their group slowly filtered in. A few he recognized from previous games against each other and some he did not. The spiker settled in comfortably beside his girlfriend. They put in an order for their drinks as Kuro rounded out the last of their group, taking the spot directly next to him.

"So, how's that captain of yours been holding up since the loss?" The small smirk on the dark haired teen's lips told him everything he needed to know. It was another play to try to get under his skin. These guys were something else. They were definitely overprotective over their little manager. His eyes fell to the small smile on her lips. Not that he could blame them.

"Oikawa's an idiot through and through. He's got a crappy personality to boot so as expected he's only rooting for Karasuno just so he can claim that he was bested by someone better than Ushijima." Iwaizumi fought the urge to sigh. Really, the guy was a damn handful. They hadn't let up on their practices. Just as Kagome had said they'd still have college to prepare for. The November Nationals were just around the corner for Nekoma who'd secured their spot in the prefecture though. He glanced back at Kuro. He hated to admit it, but he was slightly envious of that fact.

"Sounds about right. Met him once. He wasn't exactly a pleasant person." The captain closed his eyes as if in deep thought. "Doesn't surprise me that a guy like that came up with the stalking plan. He seems like the creepy type."

He probably should've said some—defended his friend against that sort of allegation. Instead he simply took a drink from his glass. He spoke nothing to affirm or deny the claim. What could he say? It wasn't as if there was any grand excuse for their actions besides sheer stupidity. Besides Oikawa did have a habit of obsessing; typically over volleyball but his perfectionist attitude could easily get him into trouble one day.

"Speaking of," Kuro rounded on Kagome. "No more unattended excursions for you, kitten. Nearly got yourself into trouble last time."

Kagome turned a bright red, "Hey that wasn't _my_ fault! You guys were busy and I still had to help clear the court." She looked away from then as if embarrassed. It was cute.

The captain drew his brows together in a sharp knot, "Yeah but you got yourself another admirer. Come on kitten, don't be stubborn. This is a serious issue."

His instincts kicked into gear. _Admirer_? Come to think of it, the guys from Nekoma acted as if they'd done those sorts of interrogations before. Just _how_ often did she get followed at those games? Most of them were probably harmless hopefuls but a knot twisted in the pit of his stomach at the thought. How many of those hopefuls couldn't take no for an answer? How many more had ill intentions?

"I know, I know." Kagome leaned further into his side. "But it's not like I can help it all the time. Anyways, didn't you guys want to have this lunch date to learn more about Iwa-kun? Let's focus on that!" The young woman avoided the topic in the least subtle way possible. He didn't blame her given the circumstances. Still, he definitely wanted to hear more about this 'admirer'.

Kuro shot her a baleful glance, "We're not done with this conversation, kitten. We'll resume it _after_ this." She blanched and he couldn't help but pull her deeper into his side.

"I heard you guys made it to the Nationals. Congratulations." It sounded forced even to himself. Why was it so hard to just fake it for a few minutes? He blinked as he felt his girlfriend's palm upon his knee in a reassuring manner. He tried to keep the flush from overtaking his face entirely.

"Yeah, thanks." Kuro eyed him suspiciously. "Anyways what do you plan on doing after this? You already find a university?" He was needling for information.

The spiker relaxed his shoulders. He diverted his attention away from the hand still on his knee. That was a dangerous territory he didn't want to tread with the rest of her team here.

"I've already signed up for the entrance exam. So far there's a school near Fukurodani that I was interested in." Kagome blinked in response.

"Oh, you've got your sights set high." The one he recognized as Nekoma's newest member began. He was tall with pale colored hair and a sharp gaze. "Think you've got a shot?"

It wasn't an insult. He could tell just by the curiosity pouring off of the other male. Iwaizumi closed his eyes, "It doesn't really matter. I've got a pretty good handle on the academics part and I've already gotten a recommendation."

The young man gave a low whistle, "So you're pretty set. Hey wait," those eyes shifted towards his girlfriend. "Weren't you going to go to a similar school? Ah, what was it again?"

Kagome smiled widely, "Yup! I'm heading to that university as well. They have an awesome teaching program. Looks like we'll be going to the same place." Her grin grew impossibly wide. That time he couldn't keep the blush from his face.

They would be going to the same university. The two hour train ride would become nothing more than a five minute walk. He found himself smiling back at her.

"What are the chances?" Iwaizumi tangled his hand into the threads of her hair. He hadn't known that she'd intended going to the same college as him. He'd simply assumed that she'd go to the college closest in distance from Nekoma. Although that particular school was only known for its medical program.

"Now I am suspicious." Kuro leaned forward on his forearms across the table. "I think it's time we learned more about _you_." The captain shot him a rather impressive glare. "What do you say, mister stalker?"

Iwaizumi felt his shoulders sag. Somehow, he had a feeling that the nickname was going to stick. His brows furrowed steeply. This was definitely going to devolve into an interrogation. A slight smirk pulled at his lips. It was a good thing he came prepared.


End file.
